1. Field of Invention
This inventive concept is applicable to devices with slightly differing names, including “audio signal processor,”“audio effects processor,”or the like, and in particular, methods and apparatus for operating floor-mounted devices of this type.
2. Prior Art
With the further development of electronic musical instruments in the mid-1960's, and the implementation of digital technology in the 80's and 90's, small, floor-mounted audio effect processors (FIG. 1) have become widely popular tools for enhancing and manipulating audio signals produced by electronic musical instruments, particulary the electric guitar.
These small, battery operated devices usually consist of a metal housing containing the various electronic components, a foot operated on-off switch, and a plurality of rotary potentiometers (FIG. 2) which provide independent adjustment of the various operating parameters and functions of the device.
It should be noted that, other than the differences in the type of effect available, the size/shape of the housing, and the number of rotary potentiometers, used to vary the audio effects, the basic configuration of these devices has remained virtually unchanged in the forty years since their introduction, and though a multitude of floor-mounted effects devices are now used world wide, several inadequacies are inherent in their operation:                1) Control over the devices is limited to the foot-operated on/off switch which only engages a pre-set effect to an audio signal. (Provides no actual manipulation or control over the effect.)        2) Being floor-mounted, access the manual controls (rotary potentiometers) is unavailable during normal use without the user stooping or crouching down. (This is often unpractical as the user is usually required to maintain a standing or sitting position in order to play his/her instrument, sing at a stand-mounted microphone, or more frequently, both.)        3) In order to make any adjustment to the manual controls, the user must either:                    a) Make any adjustments prior to each song/piece and hope the adjustment was accurate (This is inherently difficult due to the need of an audio signal as well as the exact tempo of the song/ performance in order to make adjustments that are often measured in milliseconds.)            b) Wait until a pause in the song/performance provides time for the user to bend over and make a quick (and usually innaccurate) adjustment, all while his/her eyes constantly must adjust to an ever-changing or dimly-lit lighting situation.                        
Recently, one company has attempted to address this problem by marketing a floor-mounted apparatus that is designed to be positioned directly alongside the effects device it connected to.
A small metal housing with approximately the same dimensions as typical effect pedal has protruding from its top surface a short flexible metal shaft approx. 30 cm in length and a foot-operated see-saw lever. The shaft is rotated by a simple gear arrangement powered by the up and down movement of the foot lever.
Once the apparatus is in position next to an effect pedal, the flexible shaft is bent over 180° and attached to an effect pedals exposed potentiometer shaft with a hex wrench and set-screw.
A photographic representation of the currently marketed device is included in the Information Disclosure Document.
There are however, several inefficiencies in the currently marketed device:                1) Unnecessarily complicated/costly design.        2) Takes up extra floor space during performances/use.        3) Due to its shorter drive shaft, the currently marketed device can only function when placed directly next to an effects pedal:                    If the user wishes to use the currently marketed device with an elongated effects processor (commonly known as a pedalboad) he/she is limited to those pedalboards having their control knobs located on either the extreme right or left hand side.                        Note that many pedalboards are equipped with see-saw type foot levers on one or both sides and are thus restricted from use with the currently marketed device.        4) The currently marketed device is capable of controlling only one rotary potentiometer at a time.        Even a two-channel version of this device would be too bulky and cost prohibitive to be practical.        5) Guitar players are used to making adjustments to control knobs with their hands not their feet. When trying to make fast, precise adjustments in increments that are often measured in milliseconds, replacing the control knob with yet another foot-operated apparatus does not efficiently, much less naturally solve the problem, it merely reconfigures it.        